The history of Seaside, Oregon, is deeply connected to the story of Oregon itself.
From the Indigenous peoples who first called this coast home to the explorers, pioneers, and visitors who followed, Seaside has played an important role in the region's past.
Let me walk you through it.
Native Americans and the First Europeans
Long before Europeans arrived, the Clatsop people lived along the northern Oregon Coast, including the area around present-day Seaside.
The Clatsop were a small tribe that spoke a Chinookan language and relied on fishing, hunting, and trade for their livelihood. They lived here for centuries before European explorers and traders began arriving in the late 1700s in search of new trade routes and opportunities.
In 1792, merchant captain Robert Gray became the first American to enter the Columbia River. He named it after his ship, the Columbia Rediviva. Gray's voyage marked the beginning of increased contact between Native peoples and European traders.
Unfortunately, these contacts also introduced diseases such as smallpox, which devastated Indigenous communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and dramatically reduced the Clatsop population.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
In November 1805, after nearly a year and a half of travel, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, known as the Corps of Discovery, reached the Pacific Coast.
The expedition built Fort Clatsop near the mouth of the Columbia River, close to present-day Astoria, where they spent the winter preparing for the long journey home.
One challenge was preserving food for the return trip. Since salt was essential, Lewis and Clark sent a small team south to what is now Seaside to establish a salt-making camp near a Clatsop village.
During the winter of 1805-1806, the men spent weeks boiling seawater and produced nearly four bushels of salt for the expedition's journey east.
Today, visitors can see a recreation of the Lewis and Clark Salt Works near the south end of Seaside's Promenade, a reminder of the expedition's time on the Oregon Coast.
Early Settlers
In 1811, John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company established Fort Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River, creating the first American settlement on the Pacific Coast.
After the Corps of Discovery returned east in 1806, interest in the region continued to grow.
By the early to mid-1800s, settlers began establishing permanent communities along the Oregon Coast. Over time, more arrivals followed, and Seaside was eventually incorporated on February 17, 1899.
Alexandre Gilbert's Impact
One important figure in Seaside's history is Alexandre Gilbert.
A French immigrant and veteran of the Franco-Prussian War, Gilbert moved to Oregon in 1881. He later served as mayor of Seaside from 1912 to 1916.
Gilbert owned property in town, and he gave away part of it for something special. That gift helped build one of Seaside's most iconic landmarks: the 1.5-mile-long Promenade. Locals just call it "the Prom."
So next time you take a relaxing walk along the Prom, you can thank Alexandre Gilbert. His vision made it happen.
His old home still stands, too. Built in the 1890s, it stayed Gilbert's house until he passed away at age 90 in 1935. Years later, in 1992, the house was converted into the Gilbert Inn, and it has welcomed guests ever since.
Becoming a Popular Tourist Attraction
Seaside started pulling in tourists very early on. Why? A big reason is how close it sits to large cities like Portland.
Back in the early 1850s, Portlanders began heading to the coast for vacation. Early trips often involved travel down the Columbia River to Astoria, followed by overland stagecoach routes to Seaside.
As transportation improved, rail lines gradually expanded access between Portland, Astoria, and Seaside, making the coast more accessible and boosting tourism.
By the 1920s, Seaside had become one of Oregon's most popular beach destinations. Tourism remains a major part of the city's economy today.
The 1964 Tsunami Flood
On March 27, 1964, a massive 9.2-magnitude earthquake hit Alaska. It sent a tsunami racing down the West Coast, and the waves reached Seaside.
The flood wasn't a disaster, but it still surprised people and damaged some property.
Here's a story old-timers love to share. People were dancing in a club when the water rolled in. One minute, they were having a great time. The next minute, they stood ankle-deep in water on the dance floor!
At first, they thought a water pipe had burst. But when they stepped outside, they saw the flooded streets of Seaside. Can you imagine the shock?
Seaside Today
Today, Seaside is packed with historic buildings and landmarks that have survived both the good times and the bad.
Once you've explored all this rich Seaside history, you can settle in for a quiet night. The town offers plenty of resorts, villas, and vacation homes to choose from.
It's a wonderful place to stay, close to the famous Seaside Promenade, the sandy beach, and a small-town history that gently carries you back in time.
So, are you ready to plan your trip?
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This is a nice overview of Seaside’s history, thanks for sharing it. One thing however, the Gilbert Inn only started in operation as in Inn in 1993. The house itself was in the 1890s, but it was the home of Mayor Gilbert until his death at 90 in 1935. It wasn’t converted into an Inn until 1992. Here’s the link from the Gilbert Inn that give those dates. https://www.gilbertinn.com/history-gilbertinn.
Thanks for the history.
Leah Griffith
President, Seaside Museum & Historical Society
Leah, appreciate the info.
Article is updated.
Cheers